Re: Take the myFICO Fitness Challenge for 2013!

In an effort to improve my scores, I found these forums a week or so ago, so I am a newbie. I've been reading up and have learned much so far.

Goals for 2013:

Send out GW and PFD letters to all negative items (I have multiple medical collections on my CRs)

Pay down credit cards (3 all maxed out right now)

If I can get my score about 650 I need to refinance my mortgage.

Due to a terrible financial struggle, I let many medical bills slide in an effort to keep everything else afloat. We had to refinance our mortgage in 2011, but our scores were awful and we had no choice but to go with a 3-yr balloon. So - that needs to be refinanced just as soon as the scores move up.

The suggestions I read on these forums are great. I plan to put some of the things I have learned into action this month!

Best of luck to all!

Apparently, I had created an account under MyFico in 2003....so this account was me - earlier today. Until a CSR explained I had two accounts, so they deleted my most recent.

The upside was my FICO TU score was higher than I thought at 615. Now let's see if I have any luck with the GM and PFD letters.

Re: Take the myFICO Fitness Challenge for 2013!

Hi I am new to myFICO Fitness Challenge. I am excited to get started and be debt free. I am married and currently have $23,931 in revolving credit card debt and consolidated student loans of $23,000 at 3%. My student loans aren't my priority at the moment but I pay as agreed. Here are my goals for 2013.

1. Pay down my CC using the debt snowball method which will have me CC debt free by July 2014. My husband and I have allocated $1,500 towards CC repayments.

2. Increase my FICO score to 742 by the end of the year.

3. Save money for a down payment on a house purchase hopefully in May-July 2014.

4. Save money for an emergency fund as well. I have budgeted 5% of my income for savings each month.

I have fallen of the wagon a few times, but I am determined to stick to my debt elimination plan this year. I don't want to be a slave to debt anymore. I think I will have a lot more motivation if I frequent this forum and read other success stories. I was once in the 780s and I know I can get there again. Thanks for any advice or motivation anyone can spare.

Re: Take the myFICO Fitness Challenge for 2013!

I am recently divorced and looking for a fresh financial start! I want to own my first home and purchase a new car within the next 18 months. However, my credit is absolutely less than perfect and will likely get me neither at this point. So...I'm excited about using this forum to really educate me and help me down or rather up this financial journey!

Re: Take the myFICO Fitness Challenge for 2013!

Well this is the weekend to begin. I have pulled the three credit reports from annualcreditreport, and I have my report and score of TU from myfico. So begins the journey.

I also put together a budget, and will be using the envelope system for variable expenses, paying my bills through billpay, and not using my debit card except for gasoline. I use my debit for gas because it is so much easier when I use my gasoline discounts that I get from the grocery store. Sometimes I save more than $1.00 per gallon, and that is definately worth the debit card usage.

The credit cards are put away, since I don't need them, and I am going to snowball what is on them, which isn't very much at all. I should have them paid off either late this month, or next month. My only other debit is my car, which I owe $15,800. Although I had a good car when I took out this loan that I only owed $5000 on last April, I am glad that I made this decision. My interest rate dropped from 10.5%, to 5.49%. I had a 2006 Saturn Vue, and traded for a 2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid that had 6000 actual miles on it for $18K. I made the decision because the Saturn was eating me alive in gasoline at 17mpg. The Hybrid not only saves me about $150 a month in gas, saves me 5.5% interest, but it also will hold its value longer. I also went from a car with 70k miles on it, to a car with 6K on it. Have to appreciate working for a dealership owner

Extra money for paying off debt and savings will be mostly from Ebay, but I am taking all of the extra work I can get. I have averaged $500 from ebay in Nov and Dec, and so far just this week, I have sold $190. 75% of sales will go toward debt reduction, and the other 25% to savings. I was going to put everything toward debts but I think putting part into savings will help increase my motivation.

The other big huge thing at the end of this month is the hearing for the bogus foreclosure re-filing by the bank. I am anxious about that, but both attorneys told me it looks very favorable.

Finally, I have enrolled in a program called "7 Steps to 720" which gets great revues. I have downloaded the forms and start working the steps tomorrow. It sounds like a good program, and if nothing else, I believe that it will help me stay on track with the reminders and homework so that I don't get sidetracked or procrasinate.

Re: Take the myFICO Fitness Challenge for 2013!

Well, unfortunately, I have been irresponsible with my money since I was little...I remember getting money for birthdays and it would burn a little hole in my pocket until I was able to spend it. Guess things haven't really changed since then.

Now that I'm firmly in my 30's, I've finally decided it's time to get crackin' on cleaning up my credit. I'm envious of friends and family that have the ability to go out and get the car fixed, buy a house or simply pay all of their bills on time each and every month. It's time I finally become one of those folks. So...how will I do it?

In 2013:

I will pay down at least half of my $5070 revolving credit card debt.

I will use my tax refund to catch up on my currently late student loan payments.

Once caught up, I will remain caught up and pay ALL bills on time each month.

I will stick to the modest budget I have set up.

I will place every single $5 bill I receive as change into my change jar - which I covered in brown paper so I can't see what I have accumulating in there. (found this idea on Pinterest).

I'll visit the myfico message boards regularly to stay motivated!

Continue working part-time job (arg) with promise of being able to quit once credit cards are paid off!

Re: Take the myFICO Fitness Challenge for 2013!

I am ready to take control of my finances!!!! My goal this year is to get my credit score up from what it is currently to 700, be debt free by the summer and start the process of buying a house by December. I have a lot of work to do after years of credit turmoil but I am hopeful and optimistic that I will succeed! 2013 Bring on the creditors!

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